Get Well Soon
by WiseAbsol
Summary: After a traumatic, tragic event, one of the gang developes a disorder that lands them in a mental institution. As the others drift away, one person remains to try to aid the patient on the road to recovery. An adult Ash/Misty miniseries.
1. Summer

**Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon.**

**Author's Note:** This fic is a mini-series of about four chapters long. I created it as a summer celebration to '_The Waterflower Front_', a small group that I'm in, which consists of some now close online friends. The fact is that I've always wanted to make an AAML series, but haven't really had the time or opportunity up until now. Mind you, I am busy this summer, and part one is likely the only one that will be up for awhile. So, in the mean time, treat this as a one-shot.

Thanks for listening to my rant. Here's the first section of "Get Well Soon".

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_**-...-...-...-**_  
**Grieving Diagnosis**

_Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - __a psychiatric illness that can occur following a traumatic event in which there was threat of injury or death to you or someone else. _

Ash Ketchum gazed up at the azure sky, watching the fluffy, pale clouds lazily float across the atmosphere. Various birdsongs rose and graced within the air, originating from the trees all around him, who were adding their own quiet, shushing melody to the chorus. A single Yanma buzzed over his head, a Poliwag playing in the fountain to his left. He quirked a smile at that, enjoying the garden area. The sunlight lifted his heavy mood, the sunlight penetrating the dark shadows within him. It was beautiful, this garden, mused the twenty-five-year old. Very beautiful…

He leaned back against the bench, in white pants and a T-shirt. Some would say he looked almost celestial, the blinding way the light shown off him. Others would think to themselves that they could never pull it off, that pale outfit. But, somehow, the young man did. His tan skin, and dark hair was only accented by the snowy color. As was the faint sparkle in his chocolate brown eyes, angelic in their softness.

The flowers were blooming nicely, he noticed. Their scent, sweet and crisp, perfumed the air, adding to the warm summer smell around them. Water lapped as the concrete sides of the fountain pool, the marble of it dull in areas. It was still pretty however. The stream spouting from its top glittering in the sun's rays. Small lilies with their creamy flowers bobbed with the small movement of the waves, and the tadpole pokemon blinked at him. He smiled, and the water creature dived down again, enjoying this moment of relaxation, like he.

Once more, Ash glanced around, observing his surroundings. The place wasn't large, about half the size of a football field, and completely fenced in by hefty brick walls, about eight feet high and two feet thick. Certainly, it was low enough to climb over if one wanted, but as there was only forest on the other side, full of thistles and other bothersome hassles, he felt no desire to. Stone walkways snaked through the area, between the array of trees and garden plots. The lawn was well kept, and the small, manmade, shallow lakes were clean of natural debris. To his right, the building this tiny "park" was connected to, rose stiff and sharp, compared to the abstract, organic theme around him.

It was not an ugly construction really. Two stories, with an earthy red roof; and glimmering glass windows, that were wide and dark, which shinned brightly on the light grey building. At some outlooks were tiny hanging gardens, adding a spattering of color its plain face. He winced as he saw the bars on a few of the windows, the iron menacing as it reflected the sunlight. But some of the inhabitants here needed them, unfortunately.

Sighing, he glanced at the face of his watch again, noting the time. He had somewhere to be in about an hour…and he wanted to see his friend before he left. He'd been waiting in the garden for over twenty minutes now…how long did it take to alert someone and put in a visit? Not that he was very irked…after all, he'd wait for far longer if he had to. However, he was on a schedule today, and while the idea of leaving without seeing his companion bothered him immensely, being a bane, he might not have a choice if they took much longer…

Suddenly, as though hearing his impatient thoughts, a pair of footsteps pervaded the air, approaching him. Looking to the walkway, he grinned as he saw the two women approaching him. One of the females could only be called an acquaintance. Her dark auburn hair was in a tight, strict bun, he orchid eyes indifferent, carefully devoid of emotion. She pushed her glasses back up her long nose as she came closer, leading her companion to him. Pushing a strand of loose hair back, she announced back to the younger adult following her:

"Mr. Ketchum wanted to see you miss. I'll come back to fetch you in an hour," She stated, giving the other woman a curt look, and began to stroll away in her official garb.

Misty nodded, thanking her quietly. Ash smiled silently as she sat down beside him, noting her casual dress. Blue jeans and a lemon yellow shirt, with a pattern of white leaves. She didn't look him in the face for a time, her fingers wringing a small piece of paper. Then, seeing what she was doing, she stuffed the scrap away, and gazed up at him, masking her anxiety with a happy expression.

He asked, feeling a bit of joy course it's way through him, "How are you doing today Mist'? I notice they're letting you wear something normal for once."

She gave a small laugh, her hair hanging down, cut to shoulder length, waving in a slight breeze, "Yeah…it's a nice change. I'm okay, I suppose. Busy, but fine."

He nodded slightly, "That's good. How's the gym doing?"

He'd noticed, after the first time he'd seen her; that she enjoyed speaking about her home. About the trainers who came and challenged her, about how her pokemon were fairing. Misty sometimes complained about her annoying sisters, which made him chuckle, even though she was irritated at him afterwards. It was simply that…she seemed okay, for a time. It seemed like reminiscing on her past helped bring her back to herself.

It was somewhat disheartening though, that she still believed she was a gym leader. She acted as though nothing were different, that she was fine. But the doctors had told Ash differently. She was repressing what had happened, and anything remotely connected to it…bottling up her pain in a way that would make it bearable. Forming a selective memory, and forgetting everything else.

He didn't understand at first. For how would she get better if she didn't face it?

However, the times he'd tried to force this issue, she'd started crying, and had left right then and there. After the first few attempts, he'd realized that he didn't have the strength to continue making her hurt, even if it might aid her. So, Ash now simply played along, giving her company. Because that's what he enjoyed…and he understood that, in a small way, his visits were helping her. The doctors had also said that much.

As her words started, he listened, breaking from his thoughts, "The gym's fine. Gyarados had a nasty toothache a few days ago, and Nurse Joy had one heck of a time trying to pinpoint which of his fangs needed pulling. Eventually, she got it though. He's currently growing a new one back, but can't eat his usual diet without it being smashed into a paste. He doesn't like that at all. I get the distinct feeling it reminds him of when he was a Magikarp."

Ash laughed at that, and she smiled. Things were going along smoothly this time. No awkward moments, no stretching silences. Yes…this visit was going well. One could only wish it would remain that way, until, somehow, the recovery was made. Until things could return to how they'd been…

After a time, the conversation died peacefully, and the two watched the clouds drift through the blue, the sun glowering between the emerald leaves. The tree whose branches stretched out above them acted like a protective mother, watching over her children, keeping the burning heat, though innocent of its faults, from them. The air was warm and moist, in a way that hinted at a coming rainstorm. Neither would mind the cool shower across the industrial world not far away, for it would come here next. Soothing…the music of the rain clean and cool against weary hearts and minds.

Occasionally, one of them would point at a specific formation of the cottony clouds, drawing images from their imaginations. There was a mermaid, and a dove. Over there was pillow broken open in playful fight. Sometimes pokemon like Pikachu would appear, smiling down at the couple of humans. They'd done this as children, and even years later it remained a kind pastime. As sweet moments passed, Misty quietly reached over, taking his hand. Ash did not pull away. Inside, Misty felt a flicker of hope spark up…maybe someday…maybe someday soon…

Suddenly, her companion ripped his hand away from hers, breaking the tranquil mood sharply. Inside her own mind, she begged, pleading for it not to occur this time. Praying they'd go back to the minute before… However, that wasn't to be. The Ash now, unlike the one she'd just been with, seemed distant, trapped in another place. He didn't see her frantic expression; hear how she was crying for him to look at her. Instead, he only seemed to shudder, rocking back and forth, trembling slightly. It was a motion she knew well.

Would he scream this time? She wasn't certain. She never could tell when and where it was going to happen. It was completely unpredictable, these daytime flashbacks, and the medication he was taking only helped so much. Misty had talked to his doctors this morning…he'd taken his pills! That of course though, insured nothing. The woman reached out, trying to touch his shoulder-

As soon as she set a finger on him, he thrashed out, and Misty quickly withdrew her hand. Tears sprung to her eyes, and she chocked down a sob. Inside, she felt her heart breaking once more, bursting from the anguish it had tried to keep locked inside. For she couldn't do anything. Her visits aided in lifting some of his depression, and his other unsociable symptoms…but she could not cure him. Between medication and therapy, there was a chance at healing for him…but no one could say how long it would take.

She looked away from him, not wanting his desperate murmurs to enter her ears. She knew what he said during these occurrences. For not the first time, she wished that _that_ day had never happened. She wished that _he_ wasn't one of the few who developed this disorder. She wanted this nightmare to end! As she heard footsteps running towards them quickly, she looked up at a hand rested on her shoulder. The woman from before gazed down at her sadly, whispering for her to stand. Misty nodded, glancing as the other psychiatrists took Ash by the shoulders despite how he fought…beginning to yell at them as though they were the paramedics from the ambulance, asking frantically about a 'Sunny'.

At the mention of the name, Misty began to tremble, and pushed past the elder adults with a bowed head. She was weeping openly now, and fought through the others within the building to get to the parking lot. As she drove away for St. Roselia's Institute, she brushed her tears away with a hand, and then silently admitted to herself as they blurred her vision once more, that she was in no shape to drive. The gravel crunched loudly beneath the navy Saturn as she pulled over. For a time, she rested her head on the wheel, and then reached into her purse, pulling out a cell phone.

As the one she was calling picked up, she said quietly, "Brock? Could you come and pick me up?"

He recognized her voice immediately, "_Misty? Where are you?_"

"Visiting Ash…," she whispered.

There was a pause, "_I see…I'll be there in ten._" He responded, and then hung up.

When he did so, she stuffed her phone away, and began to shake with sobs, though she tried to control it. Looking up, barely, to the radio dial, where two small photographs were pinned, she stifled a cry inside her chest, feeling sick with grief and wistfulness. It wasn't fair…for the thousandth time, she wondered _why_. And for the thousandth time, no answer presented itself to her.

As she fingered the ring she had on, she gazed at the first picture. The day then had been a lot like the weather now, glorious and shinning. Beautiful…the perfect time for a celebration. She recalled that it was supposed to rain then, but by some good stroke of fortune the storm had veered around Pallet Town. White petals floated down on the couple there, and she smiled, just a little, at the memory.

She was in that huge, pale blue dress that her sisters had insisted on her wearing, with the all-important bouquet she was supposed to toss in her hands. Ash stood beside her, looking odd, but good in his tux, grinning widely, as though he'd just won the lottery (he'd probably been struck by "lightning" enough times). Their hands clasped together, she could just make out the rings on both of their fingers. Golden…binding. It took a keen eye to make the wedding rings out, but after weeks of observation, she was able to pick them out and show them to others. It had been such a happy time…

They'd been nineteen. A very young couple, true, but no one had disapproved. In fact, many had seen it coming. It was obvious they cared for each other…and after two years married, nothing about their bond had changed really, as it had when they'd been children. Friendship…to something else, a lot more precious. Except perhaps one thing was different. Ash now understood dirty jokes a lot better…it was something that had made her laugh, at how quickly innocence had been left behind. In its place had been left a strange, but fitting maturity…and with a retained capacity for a little playful fun once and awhile. It had been an excellent shift, considering what Misty would tell him on their second year anniversary.

She then turned her eyes to the second picture. Her heart constricted, and she fought another fresh, tearing wave of sorrow. Ash was in the park, looking up at the person he was giving a piggyback ride to joyfully. He was laughing at the time, as was the other he carried. The child was about three years old, with orange hair, cropped short and hanging loosely. She was in blue overalls with a tan T-shirt underneath. It brought out her eyes…chocolate brown, just like her father's were. Her mother, standing near them, had taken the picture.

"Sunny…," Misty whispered mournfully, and in her sadness didn't notice the car driving up to hers. As Brock got out, tapping on her window, she lifted her head, sniffing, her eyes red.

Her friend opened her door silently, and pulled her out gently, leading her from the car, which he went back and locked up. He'd come back and tow it to her place as soon as he got her home. As she climbed into the passenger seat of the red pick-up truck, grasping for the Kleenex, he got in, turning on the engine.

"Let's get you home Mrs. Ketchum. Your sisters are waiting anxiously for you to beat some trainer's bum," He tried for humor.

She gave a weak smile, and watched the world pass by out her window as he drove…missing her husband and daughter almost more than she could bear. But she'd stay strong for the one who was left…and it was only when he got better, that would she allow herself to fall apart and grieve with him, in the way that they were supposed to… For now…that was all she could do.

And with all hope and prayer…that would be enough…

_**-…-…-…-**_

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**Author's Note**: I suppose, in writing this, I had one thing in mind: most people make Misty the one who suffers. Whether that's because she's female or not, which I hope isn't the case, it's a fact that making Misty hurt or needing help is more likely. So, I wanted to do something different from that. And add a couple of twists here and there as well. 

Well, thank you for reading. For those of you who would be kind enough, do review with your thoughts.

- WiseAbsol


	2. Autumn

**Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon.**

**Author's Note:** In the course of twelve hours, I was re-inspired by the AAML fandom. Thanks to Chibi (Warlordess) for that, and to Youtube who reminded me of how much fun the anime used to be. I'm writing this with an acute sense of nostalgia, for the 'Waterflower Front' has been dead since Chibi left it…but maybe, with some hope, it, and the site in general, can be resurrected. Any AAML fan, any pokemon fan, or any person who loves to write, read, draw, create, and just discuss things in general is welcome to come. The address is _**creativityforums.tk**_, and I'd be thrilled if any of you would come. We could use some new, bright faces…and if you use the site just as a place to post your work, that's fine with me!

Well, on to the next part of the miniseries. I can't believe I've left this for over a year…shame on me…!

**

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**

**-…-…-…- **

**Of Little Birds and a Pleading Card**

Time had been insignificant to Misty Ketchum in these past several months. It passed in an instant for her, and in it nothing seemed to change. She had decided rather recently that local transportation was the only intelligence course of action for her with her varying conditions after she had visited her ill husband…she couldn't keep depending on Brock to pick her up and trust that her car wouldn't be stolen after they'd left t behind. So, in part to distract herself from her thoughts of her daughter, she had made up an elaborate system of bus routes to take on different days to arrive at her destination. There was some sense to this: being tracked down by ambitious trainers was undesirable on these days which usually left her a wreck. Plus, in being a Gym Leader, _and_ married to a once-Pokemon Master, had made her a tempting target for many poperatzy groups, who savored interrogating her about Ash's condition, despite the fact that each inquiry tore at her heart. All she could say was that his early retirement had not yet ended, and left it at that. Quite simply, Ash was not well, and it would take months, even years of supportive therapy and medication to help him face life once again.

As she sat in the leather seat in the front row of the bus, she leaned her head against the cool glass window, her features hidden beneath Ash's old Pokemon League cap and his black leather jacket, both fighting off the cold that swept into the vehicle at each stop. Yet despite her attempts to conceal herself, some Cerulean City residents on the sidewalks recognized her, most of which were children who smiled widely and waved to her. Sometimes, she waved back. Other times, lost in her thoughts, she stared and made no motion, like a sleeper with her eyes open.

As her stop came, she stood and exited out into the autumn world, fingering her wedding ring…this time, no one on the bus had recognized her. So far, her scheme was working as she'd planned…she was safe from the strangers' inquiries. As she stepped out onto the gravel road which stretched a couple miles before reaching St. Roselia's, she mused that at the very least, she'd be keeping herself in shape with the long walks. With any luck, she wouldn't run into any trainers…or maybe anyone at all for that matter! But in the event that this was an unlucky day, she had her Gyarados and Kingdra with her. With their dragon moves, well, let's see an amateur beat her…she could handle her opponents with ease if they were only trained so far as to challenge her gym in their journey. She purposefully kept a team of weaker pokemon prepared for those trainers as regulations ordered…but these two were ones she'd been training for years now. It would not be an easy match even for another Gym Leader…battling with her husband had done some excellent work on both of their teams….

But Misty shook her head of those thoughts, for a time desiring only to enjoy the fall scene around her. The trees were in their annual fiery colors, a bite in the chilly air, the sound of crackling leaves beneath her shoes, the scent of wild pumpkins in the meadows that appeared randomly along the forest trail. Numerous pokemon savored those orange squashes, especially the flock of Murkrow who enjoyed the tiny white seeds. She remembered the taste of pumpkin seeds well, when they were roasted and salted in the oven, and the delight of snacking on them as Sunny, Ash, and she were watching some "scary" movies after a night of trick-or-treating. Sunny had still been in her Jigglypuff costume…. Right now, schools were starting up again after summer break. Her daughter would be in preschool now if the accident hadn't….

Misty's heart twisted. Her Sunny…she'd been far too young to die. She should have had the chance to grow up, to be a pokemon trainer like her parents…she should have had so many things…! Chocking back her grief, the childless mother fingered the small slip of paper that she always kept with her. Ash's note from back in December, saying that Sunny, Pikachu, and he would be at Gary's daughter's birthday party in Pallet Town, and would probably be back late. After all, while they were there, they should visit Professor Oak, Tracey, and Deliah, right? Since these trips were frequent, she had thought nothing of it, accept to wish she hadn't been occupied by a solid block of trainers now that the league was a few months in so she could go with them….

And what if she had…? What might have happened then…?

Despite that his hometown was Pallet Town, Ash had known Misty had an important, irreplaceable job at the Cerulean City Gym…she could not give it back to her sisters, who had never excelled at running the place. So he'd decided to live with her instead of the other way around…and as they had still been so close to his mother at any rate, there wasn't much of an issue. They could visit whenever they wanted without much trouble. And even though it had been winter at the time, the roads had been manageable.

But the accident could not be blamed on the weather….

As she arrived at Ash's new residence she shivered, setting that thought aside, and stepped into the main entrance, walking up to the clerk. The brunette recognized her from her previous visitations, and gave Misty a welcoming, acknowledging nod. For a time, the two chatted, of all cliché and pitiful things the weather, for speaking of pokemon training could sometimes depress Misty as she reminisced of her own trainer years with Ash…and the other woman was keen to notice that type of thing. It came with her job description, that intuitiveness. After a few minutes had passed, Misty asked how her husband was doing today.

"You're visits are definitely helpful, my dear. He's definitely a happier person whenever he sees you, you know, even if he doesn't precisely recall more recent events. His therapy is also going better now…he's remembering a bit more these days. We even got him talking about his Pikachu and your daughter…he became distressed after awhile, of course, but the doctors are making progress. He's taking lower doses of his medication too. Slowly but surely Mrs. Ketchum, your husband's improving. The key will be to get him to talk about the accident…and for you to continue to be supportive of him," she explained, her tone sharpening a bit on the last bit, her dark lavender eyes flashing.

Well, Misty knew what the woman was getting at. But Misty had also waited years for Ash to complete his journey and finally _notice_ her…and she could wait however long it took to have him back. She wasn't one of those women who, when things got hard, would break her fidelity for some frivolous form of comfort…that was just a sign that her affections for her spouse were weak…and if Misty was anything, she was stubborn and loyal to the extreme. She would not take the easy road…she would stay beside him solely…she wouldn't drift away just because this was painful. She would endure it…because with every visit she would be helping him a little more, bit by bit, until finally, he was back to his old self….

"Don't worry…my visits aren't going to become far and few between Jo. Now please, I'd like to go see him."

Jo nodded, "You know the way. Remember, you-."

"Have one hour. I know."

As the redhead began to walk down the hall, the clerk called out to her, "You really love him, don't you Misty?"

Misty felt for the envelopment in "her" jacket and sighed, "Yes…yes, I do."

And then she continued to walk down the hall, turning to go up the stairs, reaching the second floor within that minute. She found Ash's door with the ease that came from memorization and repetition, the number on the door encoded into her mind. She knocked, and went inside as a cheery voice beckoned her to enter.

The first thing she saw was Ash sitting in his bed, still in his pajamas even at this late hour, and who was gazing out his window to the flocks of Pidgey who were now busy migrating south due to the approaching winter. He seemed so gleeful as he watched the pokemon, as fascinated and wondering as the child trainer he'd once been when on his adventures. The sight almost made Misty shudder with the pain and sheer sorrow as she remembered all the things they had shared in those years, the sweetness of childhood innocence and joy. But no longer were things like that…no longer….

She noticed that the water painting she'd made for him for their first-year anniversary was still hanging above his headboard. Even when he hadn't understood the metaphor behind it, he'd liked how the colors swirled together, the fiery reds and the blues of the ocean and sky never bleeding together into violet tones. It was a bit like their two souls, she thought: hers the fluid and ferociousness of a churning white-water river, his possessing the whirl and heated passion of flames. She'd intended for it to be like that, and after a few hours of puzzlement and head-tilting, he'd understood the meaning behind it. Abstract things had always perplexed him, but he had comprehended what it was supposed to mean without her having to downright declare it, which pleased her immensely. Then, she observed the flowers on his bedside table. Daisies, the flowers of sun-saturated days. Of sunshine. Sunny. Deliah must have been here recently, and those flowers were her subtle attempt to prod her son's mind into remembering her granddaughter. Too subtle probably. Ash had never been someone who understood that type of depth…he had possessed other ways of being endearing.

As her spouse noticed her, his eyes brightened, and he swallowed the muffin he was chewing in two huge gulps, "Misty! It's great to see you! How've you been?"

She smiled, "I'm alright. You?"

He grinned widely from ear to ear, "Pretty good. For a Center, they sure have good food here!"

The shift in topic made her blink, but she followed it with some sadness. Is that where he thought he was? Was regression an improvement then? Well, at the very least, he was beginning to retain his appetite. It had been deeply disturbing when he had gone off his food…but now, as she was used to, he was cleaning his plate. That was good…that was very good. Maybe he really was getting better!

She played along with him, putting her hands on her hips, "Ash, the Pokemon Center _always _has good food!"

He whined, "But I'm used to Brock's cooking! And only my mom can beat him at that!"

That stumped her. "Well, yeah but…."

Abruptly, Ash fidgeted and changed the subject again, "Hey Mist', have you seen Pikachu? I've been looking all over for him, but he doesn't seem to be around anywhere. Do you think he might be playing with the other pokemon outside?"

The world seemed to freeze for Misty…last winter had returned. She didn't know how to answer him…he wouldn't believe her if she said that Pikachu was _dead, _would he? He obviously couldn't recall the accident very well…so what would be better to do now? To continue humoring him, or give him the truth…?

Seeing her sudden dismay, Ash's brow furrowed, and he got out of his bed, walking over to her, "Hey…hey Misty, are you okay? Is something wrong?"

Before she could regain her composure, controlling her reaction, those words washed over her like surf, dragging her back under an ocean of sorrow and grief. Was she '_okay_'? No! How could she be when her husband was like _this_, and their baby girl was _gone_? How could things be 'okay'?

She tried to stop herself from crying, but the tears came regardless of her will. Seeing her state and hearing how she sniffled, Ash's heart twisted with a distress all his own. He tentatively wrapped his arms around her as she cried, trying to comfort her, saying everything would be alright and pleading for her not to cry. He hated it when she cried…he hated it when she was so sad like this. It reminded him vividly of when she had lost her Togepi, her baby pokemon, when it had evolved and needed to stay behind in Hoenn. And he cared for her so much…he was even willing to admit to himself that he loved her. His Mist', his Misty. He would do anything for her if it would make her smile!

"Shhh, Mist'…it's okay. Whatever it is, you can tell me! I promise I won't laugh or do anything stupid. I knows that irks you, and I don't want to see your mallet again anytime soon."

But his attempt for humor only made her squeak a pitiful, tiny laugh…she buried herself deeper into his embrace, savoring his warmth and his caring words. She wanted him to come home…he wanted him back so much!

"Ash…."

She sounded rather lost…he held her closer, "Yeah Mist'?"

She hugged him back then, firmly, repressing a sob, "Ash, when will you come back to me? When…?"

Ash pulled away a bit, not understanding what she was saying, "Huh? Misty, what do you-?"

Reluctantly she too pulled away, and put on a brave smile as she gazed up at him…she could scarcely believe, even now, that he had become so much taller than she was. Aquamarine met chocolate brown, and she dug for the envelope in her pocket, "Here, I have something for you. Maybe it'll help…."

She gave the brown envelope to him, and then, not knowing or caring about how he'd react, she leaned upwards, kissing him on the cheek. To her pleasure and delight, he flushed a deep red color up to his ears, and took the gift meekly. Then she said her goodbye, knowing she'd return within the day to speak with him again. After all, her hour here had not been fully spent...and she was certain he'd have some questions after he looked through the items in the letter.

And after she had left, leaving a very confused yet giddy young man, Ash opened the envelope and took out its contents. Primarily, there were several newspaper clippings with dates that puzzled him, for to him they were years into the future. Yet, they represented key things, all of which seemed to surround him and Misty:

'**Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town Defeats Champion Gary Oak After Almost 10 Year Rivalry!**'…

'**The Fourth Cerulean Sister, The Feisty Misty Waterflower, Marries Champion Ash Ketchum!**'…

'**Sunshine Deliah Ketchum (shown below), Born April 7th to Ash and Misty Ketchum**'…

'**Tragic Car Accident Claims the Lives of Two Members of Ketchum Family, Sunshine (Aged 4) and Pikachu (Her Father's Starter Pokemon)**'.

Ash felt as if the blood in his veins had frozen, running like ice-water throughout his system, making it very difficult to breathe. What…what was all of this? What…?

There was another slip of paper…a hand-drawn child's rendering of a dark-haired man with a Pikachu, holding hands with an orange-haired girl and woman. Left to right, the messy, shaky words read, '**Me**', '**Daddy**', '**Pikachu**', and '**Mommy**'. Last of all, there was a pale white card. He flipped it open, reading its contents, hardly able to stop himself from shaking.

_**Dearest Ash,**_

_**The doctor's don't agree that this is a wise course of action, giving you these things…yet if there's any chance that they will help you remember everything I've been trying to tell you for months now, about us and about our daughter, which you keep forgetting, I want to try it. Here's the evidence I can bear to part with…you'd better take care of that picture too! It's one of the few Sunny was able to make for us before…before the accident. It's invaluable Ash Ketchum, so you'd better not loose it!**_

_**Ash, It's my hope that with these things you'll start to remember our life together…that you'll remember HER. By god, you loved her so much…and I know you're suffering like this because of how deeply those feelings went. That touches me, but…god Ash, I want you to be able to come back home with me one of these days! I miss you…and I know starting over again will be hard without Sunny…but I want to try. We can't erase the pain we've suffered in the past…but we can try to move on, and make new happy memories together. So please…get well soon Ash. I love you…so please, try for me, even if it hurts. Because if we feel the pain, then that means we can also heal from it. And we both need that now.**_

_**Yours, always,**_

_**Misty**_

And Ash glanced at his hand…seeing the golden wedding band that had been there for years, but he was just now seeming to notice. And if he had this ring…then did that mean that he and Misty…was it true? Was this all true…?

A memory came, just out of reach…he snatched at it as a child might grasp for a butterfly, and caught it in his mind, playing it before his eyes….

_Misty and he were at Fiona's Restaurant in Cerulean City, a fancy place found within the labyrinth of now glittering streets as the annual League was coming to a close. In its elegance, both of them felt almost as awkward as they had been on their first date, even though they had been seeing one another for two years now. Pikachu munched on some pokemon kibble smothered in ketchup near their feet, understanding this was a personal thing for the two trainers…though he kept his ears perked up, as though listening for some key words from his partner. Their conversation was rather hushed; the atmosphere of the restaurant seeming to encourage such quiet talking. They spoke about their pokemon's progress on learning new abilities, Brock's success in getting an official breeding license, Tracey's travels with May and Max to sketch contest winning pokemon…a few matters among many as they discussed how friends and family were doing. Those matters, after all, were interesting and always changing. They ate their fine dinners, got up to dance some to the smooth soft jazz the band played, and then settled back in their seats, watching the performing pokemon's light display, their fingertips touching…._

_Then, Ash gathered up his courage and faced his girlfriend…she was watching him with a soft smile, so very beautiful to him in that moment, garbed in the simple dress her sisters to manage to persuade her to wear. Her tomboyish habits made her surrender a difficult thing, but finally, considering how fancy this place was, she'd agreed. They'd been here once before after all, to celebrate his becoming the new Kanto Champion. He remembered it with a smile…the danced then as well, though with considerably more foot-trodding on and bickering. With that memory in mind, he began the speech he'd prepared; taking her slender hand as he did so…he met her eyes with his, and then spoke._

_He prayed he wouldn't mess up. "Mist'…we've been through a lot since we were kids…and most of these past several years we faced whatever came our way as a team. And while that whole…bike…thing was hanging over ours head, I'm certain we stuck together for more reasons than that. And…during all those times we enjoyed ourselves immensely…it was the most fun I've ever had, at least. And…I really missed you when you were away, taking caring of your gym instead of being able to travel with me. I'm still not sure why you didn't come back later on…but still, those memories of our adventures together always make me grin. And I'm glad that we've finally gotten to spend some time together again."_

_Misty was impressed…that was the most she'd ever heard him spout at one time…and even with his bashful pausing, she noticed his careful choice of vocabulary…and coming from him, what might that mean…?_

_Well, he'd gotten that lengthy intro done…and now for the tricky part. Ash adjusted his tie nervously…he wasn't a fan of tuxedos, and the tie of this one seemed by far too tight. Misty was grinning wider now. Did she know what was coming…? He'd only told Pikachu…!_

_He started up again, trying to keep his nervousness at bay, "And…well, the more I think on it, the less and less appealing the idea of being without you again is, and…."_

_He took a deep breath…and knelt, as he knew he was supposed to, holding out the tiny black box open, the engagement ring glimmering up at her._

_"I…love you Misty Waterflower. Will you marry me?"_

_By god, it sounded so cliché…but it was true, and it was what he'd wanted for some time now. To his complete delight, she beamed at him, murmuring 'yes'…but then, shocking him, Misty began to both laugh and cry at the exact same time, continuing to repeat that word like a chant. Yet each time, she filled his heart with more and more joy, until it felt ready to burst. Below them Pikachu chirped with approval, and then jumped up onto the table to watch as Ash slid the engagement ring onto his fiancé's finger, the diamond the shape of a teardrop, and to him, always one of happiness…._

And in the present, Ash Ketchum bowed his head, and began to weep….

**-…-…-…-**

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**Author's Note: **Well, the second part is done! If you would be so kind as to review, I'd appreciate it…and again, anyone who might be interested in coming to Creativity Forums is welcome to. You might know a few names from there…Detective Satoshi, Warlordess (Chibi), KawaiiCherryBlossom-aka-BWF, MistyLover87…among just a few people who have been there, and sometimes still visit us. It has a few of their more works there that doesn't have, including artwork, if you do a bit of digging, ;). 

Well, hope some of you might drop by and look around. See ya'.

- WiseAbsol, aka Abby.


	3. Winter

**Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon. We all know this, because if I did, it would have had at least one episode where Misty kissed Ash on the cheek or **_**something!**_

**Author's Note:** The more I think on how the anime was, the more I remember all those little hints even in the Japanese version. And now they've gone and replaced May and Max (I liked them too!) with some new girl…Dawn, right? You know, a huge reason why pokemon declined in popularity was a result of taking Misty away. Seriously, I don't think any fan was complaining about Misty becoming a boring, stale character…more than half the pokemon fans I used to know watched it solely because they loved her. These days I know more Mewtwo fans, but still…remember AAML people? (Sighs.)

Here's the third part…enjoy!

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**Coping With the Memories**

Heavy and fierce, the blizzard outside swept the land with a howling wind akin to the roar of an Ursaring. Having once been chased by a whole mob of them, Ash Ketchum would know better than most how loud and terrifying that sound was. Yet he had long since past the point where simple storms scared him, for he had once needed to endure far worse weather _outside _frequently. And right now, he was sitting in his bed in the building which held him, watching the night churn with pale flurries of snow, like white demons warring on the grounds. From the screaming of the truly insane patients on the floors above him making it difficult for him to sleep, he mused that someone up there was sharing his thoughts. Should he be disconcerted with that idea, that he might just be going nuts too?

Months after the visit where Misty had left her proof of their union, Ash was sluggishly coming to grips with the fact that it was he, not Misty, who was suffering under numerous delusions. His episodes were becoming less frequent these days, and less often did they disturb and muddle his views of reality. More and more his memories of his life after defeating Gary and the Elite Four was returning to him, his amnesia and his PTSD slipping their holds on him.

He could remember so much now…only the accident was still a shard of chaos wedged into his mind and heart. Yet before it…he could remember celebrating the achievement of his dream with his friends and family. He could remember how Misty and he had started dating soon after the unexpected kiss the others had managed to shove them into as soon as they got the two drunk enough to take courage from the alcohol. Jessie, James, and Meowth had even handed them the brown bottles, having long since quit Team Rocket (Giovanni was happy to see them leave after all the expenses they'd racked up) and started a performing group…though they still had made attempts to snatch Pikachu as a practical joke on occasion. He could also remember saying his vows to the redhead he loved…the shock of pleasure and pain of their wedding night….their tours to visits the regions they'd traveled in, and all the old friends they'd made there.

Their second-year anniversary….

_They were staying in the Pokemon Center of Saffron City at the time. Sabrina had offered to have them stay at the gym, a happy glint in her eyes as she'd gazed at them, but they'd turned the offer down, the feelings of positive and negative nostalgia too much to defy. Ash would have probably missed the exact day completely if he hadn't gotten a desperate phone call from May, Drew, and Tracey, reminding him of the date. The truth of that matter was simply that Misty and Ash had been camping for days on the road at a time…and as a result, weeks blended into one another, making the turns of the months insignificant when compared to the changing seasons. Heck, they'd almost missed Valentine's Day…if it hadn't been for all of the decorations in Celadon City at the time they'd rolled around in, they would have accidentally skipped it completely! _

_But because his friends had predicted something like this might happen again, they'd deemed it fit to call…and caught the date he had. Misty had only smirked, having one-upped him by preparing their celebration herself when he'd gone and scrambled off to find something memorable for her on their special day. In the end, his gift to her had turned out to be a platinum amulet with a Luvdisc engraved on the front, and passages from 1 Corinthians 13 and 14 on the back. It had gone over well, thank god._

_Despite Ash's near mishap, throughout the day Misty had seemed oddly giddy, as though she were barely keeping herself from flying apart with some secret joy of hers. Considering she's been sick not too long ago, this had confused her husband…but he came to understand the reason soon enough…._

_Misty gave him a long, thin box, alike to what might hold a bracelet or watch…he'd opened it and pulled out a thin white stick with a blue end._

_He didn't get it. "Mist', um…what's this exactly?"_

_She crashed to the floor in shock, and then rose, fuming as he turned it over by the plastic end, looking it over. "That's a pregnancy test Ash! How in the world can't you recognize one?"_

_He was about to retort to that when he paused, giving the stick another probing look, "Don't you pee on this…?"_

_Reasonably, Misty was quick to get angry with this comment…was he serious? She knew he was developing a sense of humor, but still, this would be a very bad time to employ it, especially considering this particular matter! Yet he seemed to be completely perplexed…by god, was he really that thick? "Well, yes, I did…but that's beside the point-!"_

_He interrupted her, "Misty, blue is positive, right?"_

_Was he finally understanding the situation? Maybe. "How you know that and don't know what a test looks like I'll never know," she growled, frankly rather miffed. This was not going as she thought it might…but then, when did things with Ash ever go predictably?_

_However, her irked mood subsided at the look of growing joy on her husband's face. He set the test back in its box, placing it on the table, and walked over to her, embracing her warmly, "So…we're going to have a baby?"_

_Misty grinned at him, looking him straight in the face, "Yeah…we are. I even went to Nurse Joy to confirm it. We're going to be parents, Ash Ketchum."_

_Oh god…she just now thought about what that would entail. Ash and diapers. Ash heating up bottles of milk. Ash probably holding their baby in one arm while he commanded battle with the other. Oh dear god…those were some _scary_ thoughts…!_

_But despite that wary apprehension of hers, they had their daughter…and while Misty's term made her almost frighteningly atrocious at times, they both enjoyed her pregnancy thoroughly, and were utterly delighted when their little girl was born. Ash had been the one to name her, and had held Sunny and her mother as the newborn suckled her first meal. In all, he had loved every moment that came with being a father…even the sleepless nights where Misty and he had stayed awake with wide, bloodshot eyes, which didn't make their Sunshine stop wailing in the least. For even as grating as some of those times had been, those memories of them were now infinitely precious to him, especially now that their precious little one was gone forever…. _

…And perhaps it was the weather outside that triggered it, or that very thought in itself…but the memory of THAT night of loss came into Ash's mind, sharp, cold, and horrendously clear and real, like a blade that slid into his heart and twisted in the most agonizing of ways…. The landscape altered around him, yet retained a familiar state….

…_The bluffs between Pallet and Cerulean are not particularly nasty ones – they only rose a couple hundred feet at the maximum, and the roads they possess are well-traversed and rarely in disarray. Fallen trees, large branches and stones, were all kept clear from the roads by passing pokemon who knew the dangers the debris posed to inattentive drivers, the potholes filled in by those whose trainers made a living from road repairs. As a result, these winding snakes of asphalt and concrete are usually fully safe, even in the most abysmal of weather._

_A snowstorm had blown in towards the end of the evening when Ash and Sunny had left for home, so the father drove slowly along the dark roads. When it came to the safety of his daughter and his pokemon, he refused to take risks, even if it meant he would be late getting them all home. Misty would understand. After all, she'd learned how to drive with him, and comprehended that Ash + speed did not equal out to anything good. And knocking over "orange cones" was not an option out here…not with his little girl and Pikachu with him. His old buddy was soon to become a daddy too…his mate, a Marill, had been recently confirmed pregnant by Professor Oak. Pikachu was, of course, extremely pleased by this, and was just as eager as Ash to get back to his beloved female…._

_But unfortunately, Pikachu was never to see his offspring…._

_And Sunny would not be the one entrusted with that egg when it was finally laid….  
_

_With the heat on full blast, Ash and Pikachu were quick to get drowsy in the front seats…Sunny was already caught between attempting to continue playing her Gameboy game and dozing off. They hadn't seen another vehicle for well over half an hour, and Ash was beginning to suspect that the roads going out of town had been closed shortly after they'd left. No need to risk a car breaking down out here and having people and pokemon freeze to death in the night. As the path began to wind, the lights of Cerulean City glowing on the horizon ahead, Ash glanced back at Sunny, who was fighting to stay awake. They smiled tiredly at each other…there was a flash of light…Ash glanced back just in time to see the headlights of the approaching truck that had come around the turn swerving out of the other lane on the slick dry snow without a warning. He tried to turn out of its path and break, but the snow only rendered his attempt worse than futile, turning the passenger side of the car into the path of the truck. His reflexes meant nothing now. There was a bone-jarring jerk of impact, the sounds of crushed metal and shattering glass, screaming…and then silence and blackness as the chaotic winter world fell away as Ash lost consciousness when his air bag hit him._

_The next thing he knew was a flashing of red and blue lights, and the rasp of static and rough voices over walkie talkies. A paramedic was carefully extracting him from the car, the Officer Jenny of Cerulean City talking to the driver of a snowmobile that had stumbled upon the accident and had called it in. The truck driver was on a stretcher, bleeding profusely from his shoulder and head…Ash felt a hot stickiness across his own scalp, and knew that he too, was injured. His right leg was totally numb…._

_Yet as the thought of Sunny and Pikachu rose in his mind, his concern for his own state departed immediately. He tried to break away from the man half-carrying him to look back at the car, only to see that it had been mutilated into a mesh of twisted metal that crumpled inwards on the passenger's side. _Sunny and Pikachu's side!_ His heart stuttered to beat in his chest, and he looked around to the other ambulance and stretchers for them. By god, were they still in that thing that used to be his car? _Where were they?

_He twisted his face to look at the man helping him along, "Please, my daughter…my Pikachu! Are they hurt? Tell me, please, what's happened to Sunny? Where's Pikachu? Sir, where-?"_

_The man looked very reluctant to answer, his lips becoming a thin line…Ash didn't like how he wasn't automatically assuring him that his loved one were fine. Something was wrong…they were hurt, _weren't they?_ Instinctively Ash began to fight the man, his soul brimming with fear…when the other paramedics came to try to restrain him from hurting himself more, he shouted at them to tell him what had happened to his little girl and to his best friend. His screaming and terror was quieted as they forced him into unconsciousness with a short burst of Sleep Powder when he wouldn't calm down, not wanting him to further injure himself. He was placed in an ambulance promptly. And later on, he discovered these truths:_

_The driver of the truck had fallen asleep at the wheel…he was not a devil. He died in the ER. Pikachu, having not been buckled in, had died instantly upon being thrown into the dashboard before the air bag could deploy…the trauma to his brainpan and the snapping of his spinal cord had made that ruthlessly quick and painless. And Sunny…she'd experienced massive trauma to the head as well, though this hadn't taken her life. Not yet, at any rate. When Ash awoke next, in the Cerulean City General Hospital, he found that Sunny had fallen into a coma that she might never awake from. Misty told him all of this, crying as she did so…and he just held her, too shocked to begin to grieve, feeling her hot tears soak his shirt._

_For two weeks, their daughter clung to life…but her vitals were declining, and with them fell Ash's strength. He blamed himself for what had happened, even though it hadn't been anyone's fault…and in his guilt and mourning over loosing his best friend, and watching as Sunny died despite being hooked up to life support, his grief and trauma over being the sole survivor of the accident made him sink into depression. From there, his perceptions of reality began to splinter…. His mind was trying to cope in any way it could to the pain his heart was feeling, repressing memories that hurt him…he could not bear to recall anything to do with his child. The signs of PTSD - the lack of interest, the nightmarish episodes, the insomnia - were noticed swiftly by his doctors. When it reached the point where his fits became too much to manage at home, Ash was placed in St. Roselia's to receive the proper care he needed to find closure about his loss and his close call with death. And all without the prying eyes of the public following his decline into near insanity…._

_At first, his friends had come to give him company. His pokemon team had helped immensely, yet the loss of Pikachu from their number had made it hard for him to accept them fully. Eventually, the pain of being around him drove the others away, their visits becoming rare. Only Misty and Deliah, who loved him deeply enough to endure that hurt, continued to come to him regularly…but as Deliah was the only one running her own household, this made it difficult for her visit at times. So the face he saw the most would become Misty…the woman he would forget was his wife…._

Ash stared out the window…he knew now what was truth and what was fiction. His skewed sense of time corrected itself…and with that understanding, so too came the longing with all his being to go home. But to do that, he knew he would have to get out of this place. Running away was not an option - he would just be caught…so that route would be a waste of time, the senseless use of the commodity that now seemed priceless to him. What he needed to do, quite simply, was free himself from the reason behind his residence here. The disorder that fractured his mind…if he beat it, surely he could go back? To Misty…to the egg Pikachu had sired…to everyone and everything else.

He needed to recover…he so wanted to return to them!

And to do that, he was willing to do whatever task necessary…if that meant speaking at length about the accident, fine…he'd do it. If he had to tear _that _shard of metal from his heart to return to his friends and family, so be it! It would kill him in its own way but…ultimately it would be worth it. He couldn't hide from the situation any longer. Not with these revelations running through his head….

And so began the leap in Ash's progress in the fight against the mental disorder that clutched him. The winter night had given him a gift, perhaps in an attempt to compensate for all it had taken from him a year prior. With this comprehension, with time, he might just defeat his PTSD. It would be a hard fight…but he'd defeated countless enemies in countless battles before this point. And now that he knew what he was facing, he swore he wasn't going to succumb to THIS monster again! Surrender had never been an option he'd felt comfortable taking. And he had too much to go back to, to even CONSIDER such an absurd thing!

Oh, he wouldn't give in this time!

Not a chance!

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**Author's Note:** By the way…Misty is 27. Ash's age has already been stated, as well as the locations in this fic, when this is going on (post the anime series), and who is in it. It takes actually reading the fic to figure this all out, and common sense. So, to Nick Johnson, I'm not going to write back to you…you didn't even leave an E-mail address or sign in, so unless I'm going to review my own work, which I'm not, responding to you would be impossible. If you didn't read the fic to figure things out, or don't know what AAML is…well, that's your own fault, man:P. As for the other characters' ages…they don't play enough of a part in this story to matter much when it comes to how old they are. But just for the record, this story is about recovering from loss. The chapters are stages of this recovery, described by season. 


	4. Spring

**Disclaimer:** I do not own pokemon.

**Author's Note:** So, it's the final part of the miniseries. I'm actually quite pleased with how this project turned out, even if it's not getting a lot of attention. Next time I write something AAML though, it's going to be happy, I swear. Let's recap my efforts: Misty grieving over her unrequited love for Ash…Ash coping with Misty's death…and this post-series story about their loosing their child and Pikachu and the resulting problems stemmed from that disaster. God, I'm mean. You'd think a member of the Waterflower Front would make a happier fic, but no….

Well, next time, I'm going to try for humor! That'll be tough, but if I can do that, I can do anything, right?

Anyhow, if any of you want some fabulous AAML works, here's the fanfic authors to go to: KawaiiCherryBlossom-aka-BWF, and Warlordess.

They're masters of AAML. You're guaranteed to enjoy their work.

Well…on to the final entry of "Get Well Soon"!

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**Stability After A Nightmare:**

His room was being cleared out; his personal items packed in the couple of boxes necessary for the task. Ash watched the process from the hallway, holding a pale bundle of white clothes under his arm. The therapists had thought it a perfectly acceptable idea for him to take his uniform with him when he left…shunning the recollections of a rough time was what had first put him in this mess in the first place, after all. He remembered their final words to him as he now awaited his friends and family, who were all coming to take him home….

_"Well Mr. Ketchum, I do believe our task here is complete. Since we've seen no indications of anything amiss with your behavior, we've deemed it fit to release you from our care. Considering this state has been continued without your medication since back in January, it is our professional opinion that you've recovered from the accident that took your daughter's life, and that of your pokemon's."_

_"Congratulations Ash. You can go home."_

And their smiles had been genuine…he was ready, finally, to return to the world, to his life. To his wife and everyone else who'd been so long waiting for him….

A hand slid into his…he turned, finding Misty there. She'd arrived early. Dare he imagine how she'd manage to elude Officer Jenny when she'd surely been speeding? Giving her a small smile, he looked back to what had been his residence for over a year. He had never belonged there in all that time…and now he would be returning to his true haven, to his true home.

"So, is everything resolved Ash?" she asked.

His grip on her hand tightened, "…As much as it ever can Misty. The pain's not going to fade completely, but…at least when we mourn this time, it'll be the healthy way. And afterwards…we can try again. No matter what happens…there's no need to sink back down so deep into grief. Sunny wouldn't want us hurting or torn apart because of her…and neither would Pikachu."

He gazed at her, his eyes watery, his grin widening somewhat, "So, um…well, if you need to break down too Mist', go ahead. I'll be there for you if you do…just like you've been for me."

She hugged him then, sighing…she would weep later. For now, she was too happy and thankful at the idea of finally bringing him back home with her. There was so much they needed to return to…so much they both wanted to go back to. And yes…Ash was right for once. No matter what happened, their mutual love was certain to keep them afloat, even when the waters of life got rough.

Hours later, the gang was riding back to Pallet to celebrate privately of the event of Ash's return, filling Ash in on everything he'd missed. In general, the atmosphere was filled with life and laughter…but for Ash and Misty, the giddy feeling was somewhat detached. For while the wounds had mended, the scars were still there…and it would take some time yet for those to fully heal and fade as the old memories of their life together was replaced with the new….

And a couple weeks later, they crouched beside the small nest they'd created in their room, watching as an egg twitched and sounded with tiny chirps. It was a small, spotted thing, warm to the touch and so thin in the shell that the unborn creature's movements within it could be felt by the fingers. It's mother, Pikachu's mate, a Marill, fretted over it worriedly…she'd lost its father, and was fiercely making sure the humans who would train her baby was not going to force the infant to hatch. It had to do that on its own!

Hairline fractures appeared on the shell's surface, before abruptly the egg began to crack and split, a piece of the shell being pushed away, falling to the fabric that cradled it. A dark, wide eye looked out at the three of them…a yellow paw clutching the edge of that small hole. Then, with a charge of static electricity which exhausted the youngster, the energy of the attack shattered the egg, making shards of it tumble away, the infant hatching in a flash of white light. Bits of shell littered the floor and the fabric it had been incubated in after its mother had laid it. The newborn Pichu fell onto its tail, squeaked, and blinked up at them.

Out of the tragedy of the past, a new life had come into being.

Somehow, that seemed miraculous to the three of them, who had lost so much into eternity….

Ash and Misty made sure mother and child were comfortable, before laying back into their own bed, watching as Marill licked what remained of the amniotic fluid from her child's damn yellow and black fur…the little kit was exhausted and eager for milk, which was swiftly provided for it. The little Pichu was later revealed to be female. She would not be Pikachu's replacement…however, several weeks later, she could be found perched on Ash's shoulder so much like her father had once done. She could sense the man's wistful longing, and made it her personal mission to sooth that sorrow and live up to her father's legacy.

Her name, which all of them had agreed on without argument, was the very essence which she represented to them all:

…Hope.

Even in the darkest depths of sorrow and grief, the light of it was always present, if one only knew where to look for it. If there was anything to have faith in when wandering in this strange, bittersweet world, it was in that truth. Because there is always a reason to go on living…it is only when you deny yourself of that possibility that you crumple under the weight of misery. So hold your hope close, no matter how frail and tender it may be…because in the end, hope is the only thing that can never be stolen from you. Never doubt it.

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**Author's Note:** …And the miniseries is complete. For those who may have known me from CF some years ago, you may notice a reference to my signature in the final paragraph. Yet at any rate, for those of you who may bring this point up, there was also an allusion to the song "When You Believe", which is from the movie "The Prince of Egypt". Now, this piece isn't about religion…it's merely about your faith in another, truer thing: 

Life.

…Again, thank you for reading. Review if you wish…I'm always happy to get feedback.

Yours,

WiseAbsol


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